


Case One: A Mother's Curse

by JadeDraggy2017



Series: The Velvet Shop of Horrors [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Aged up characters, Alternate Universe, Amamiya Ren and Kurusu Akira Are Twins, Blood, Decapitation, Detective Work, Gore, Gun Violence, Inspired by Petshop of Horrors, M/M, Murder Mystery, Revenge killing, Suicide, Sword Violence, mentions of child abuse, mythical creatures, on going series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26659306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeDraggy2017/pseuds/JadeDraggy2017
Summary: After a murder that should be a clear-cut case, Akechi Goro finds himself in Shinjuku following the lead of one out of place clue. A strange contract printed on blue paper for the purchase of an animal from a store called ‘The Velvet Pet Shop’. There he quickly finds himself entangled with a set of twins running the shop that call themselves ‘Joker A’ and ‘Joker R’.And what was once an open and shut case quickly unravels into a series of events that Akechi can only describe as otherworldly as he deals with suspect Yusuke Kitagawa and the strange white fox attributed with the brutal murder of Ichiryusai Madarame.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist, Amamiya Ren/Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Series: The Velvet Shop of Horrors [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939747
Comments: 25
Kudos: 89





	Case One: A Mother's Curse

**Author's Note:**

> So this story/series of works was originally going to be part of a big bang that I had to drop out of... but I still have most of the stories just sitting in my google drive hanging out. The tone is a bit darker and violent than some of my other stuff so be warned... If you've ever read Pet Shop of Horrors you can probably guess what some of the content of this series is going to be like. But please look at the tags with each installment.
> 
> But hey! Akira-Ren twins both hitting on Goro? Come on, it's a fair trade-off.
> 
> I'm hanging out around here:  
> [tumblr](https://adraggynamedjade.tumblr.com/)  
> [@draggynamed](https://twitter.com/draggynamed)

  
  


_There’s so much red running down his leg. With every budding drop that falls from his knee, the pain climbs higher. Like little pins jamming into his skin and scraping themselves over his leg._

_So, for every drop of blood that falls, his tears fall too._

_“You failed!” A young boy's voice calls out from overhead._

_He looks up, his cheeks almost as red as his eyes now, “You- you pushed me off!”_

_The boy hanging over him swings his legs gleefully. His body is dangling from a jungle gym bar. The sun is bearing down over his shoulder from the sky._

_“I’m supposed to push you off! That’s how king of the hill is played!” He kept swinging his legs. His unhurt, unbloodied, legs. “You failed! I’m king now!”_

_The other boy kept swinging away and laughing while he cried. There was nothing to do about it now except get up and run or try to run anyway. He staggered and stumbled his way through the bars of the jungle gym, and across the playground over to a bench where his mother sat._

_“Momma! Mom-ma!” He fell again right next to the bench._

_She stood up in a hurry and rushed to his side, “Oh, Goro, what happened?”_

_“He pushed me off the jungle gym!” Goro showed her his leg. She had the same red eyes that he did. And he had her long soft brown hair. There was no mistaking him and his mother as family, even if his face did not match up to hers. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the blood and she turned her head to follow the trail from the playground back to her. “It hurts, Momma…”_

_“Alright…” She didn’t look at him, instead looking around the area. Trying to look for something. Or someone. But no one was looking their way, and no one stood out. She turned back to him and smiled. “Alright, I’ll make it better. Hold still…” As she leaned forward her bangs dangled in front of her forehead. They were always perfectly parted in the middle of her forehead, refusing to come together to make one curtain of hair._

_“Repeat after me, now. So, in the future when you’re hurt, you can make the pain stop on your own… Are you ready?” She held up her finger and tapped him, right on the upper part of his forehead._

_“I’m hurting. I’m hurting. I need you to help me._ _  
_ _Dia, Media, come erase my scars...”_

If Akechi Goro had to pick out all the defining moments of his life. He would easily say, every one of them was highlighted by abject failure.

His mother abandoning him.

His friendless childhood.

His teenage genius rise to fame subsequently stunted by a thrown out case.

His chronic addiction to cigarettes to curb his pounding headaches.

He’s going to be twenty-two this year and he felt like he had already got one foot in the grave.

Goro fished into his trench coat pocket to find his packet of cigarettes. He pulled one out with his teeth before putting the pack back and lighting the one in his mouth. He then proceeded to lean back against the guard railing of the Shibuya sidewalk. He turned his gaze up to the skyline that was slowly turning red with the setting sun.

He was standing on a road in the residential district. The homes around him cast long shadows down the street, over the police cars, and his fellow officers gathered outside a simple two-story home. The outside was covered with old fading grey paint and siding, there was no yard, just a few shrubs between the home’s outer walls and the gate.

The road had to be blocked off to keep the press from swarming the street trying to ask questions and get pictures as emergency staff wheeled out a covered gurney with a dead body hidden under the sheet.

Goro took his cigarette from his mouth and let out a long sigh of smoke. Hopefully, this night wouldn’t be long.

“Hey,” a young woman’s voice called his attention back to the street.

Approaching him from down the sidewalk was his partner, Niijima Makoto. She had dark brown hair cut extremely short, up to her ears. In high school, Goro remembered it had some length to it, but now she wore it like a man’s hairstyle. Makoto was wearing a black peacoat over a red dress shirt, black tie and dress pants, and a pair of dark brown heels. She had reddish-brown eyes that were fixed on him with an irritated stare.

“We’re wanted inside, how long are you going to stand out here and smoke?”

“Just getting a feel for the atmosphere.” Goro smirked at her, “You know, I’ve got to get my intuition going before I can assess a case.”

“Your intuition isn’t needed here. This is an open and shut case.” Makoto reached out and grabbed the cigarette from Goro’s lips. She tossed it down and stomped it out. “Let’s go.”

Goro rolled his eyes but pushed off the railing he was leaning against to follow her. He stuffed his hands into his trench coat pockets, he upgraded to a longer coat once he got out of school, mostly because the weight of it hanging down better concealed the gun he had holstered around his torso. And while Makoto had cut her hair short, Goro had let his hair grow out.

It was past his shoulders now, during his senior year of high school it was just to his chin. He had to pull it back into a ponytail with hair ties just to keep it from getting in the way while he worked.

He followed Makoto past the police tape and the officer stationed at the door into the home.

Inside the building was modest. With old wooden floors and walls, Goro could have made the mistake that they walked into an oversized shack in the woods if not for the fact he knew all of Tokyo was just outside.

The home was swarming with cops. Crime scene investigators were taking pictures of every room. Taking pictures of elegant and various paintings tilted on their sides on the walls or knocked completely off. Recording and documenting blood splatters, red footprints, and blood-streaked fingerprints along the walls leading up the stairs.

The trail continued down the hall and around a corner, but that wasn’t their destination.

Makoto turned and walked into a small room that previously had been a private art studio. Now it served as a temporary holding pen for their suspect. Sitting in the middle of the floor with his hands cuffed together was a young man, couldn’t have been a year younger than Goro himself. He wore a long white shirt and black pants. He was fairly thin, almost too thin; he kept his head tilted down concealing his face behind a banner of blue bangs.

And he was covered from head to toe in blood.

His hands were covered in dried red. It was splattered over his white shirt, where the edges of the stains were turning pink. It splashed up to his neck and even up into his hair where the dried bits stuck his bangs together.

“Kitagawa Yusuke?” Makoto spoke to him and he lifted his head. “Stand, we’re here to take you to the station.”

Without a word, Yusuke leaned forward so he could push himself up to stand.

He was very composed for someone who had just committed a brutal murder. Goro watched as Makoto reached out to grab his arm and haul him forward. He stepped aside to let her lead the way again. Just as Yusuke passed him, he stopped cold. Makoto turned around and barked at him, “Hey, don’t stop or you'll be charged with resisting as well.”

“You,” Yusuke spoke, fixed on Goro.

“Me?” Goro chuckled, “What do you want me to walk you out?”

“...What an unusual smell…”

“Excuse you?” Goro frowned, “What do you not like my cologne?”

Makoto ordered Yusuke to move again, but he stood still. He didn’t say anything else. He just stared at Goro as if looking for something. The longer they held eye contact the more Goro felt his chest tighten and strange ache in the center of his forehead. He was uncomfortable, Goro put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him forward.

“Just go, alright.” He continued to shove Yusuke forward until they were out in the hall.

As they exited the room, an officer came by with several paintings wrapped in plastic from the room down the hall. He had them tucked under his arm, every single one of them was the exact same painting of a woman.

Yusuke eyed the paintings and frowned before looking at the officer, “Where is the original?”

“You think I’m going to answer you?” The man spat back.

“Just keep moving, Kitagawa,” Makoto ordered.

“Hold on,” Goro reached up to rub the middle of his forehead with his middle finger, “Is the original important?”

Yusuke said nothing.

“Goro, we’re just supposed to bring him down to the station and question him. Leave the crime scene to the others.”

Goro stopped messing with his forehead and turned to her with a smirk, “My instinct is telling me to have a look… I’ll meet you down at the car.” Makoto sighed but pulled Yusuke away as Goro turned to head down the hall.

He called it ‘instinct’ but really it was just a headache. He jokingly started referring to it as a ‘detective instinct’ in high school. When he started taking an interest in mysteries. He’d always gotten headaches, since puberty, they came and went and no prescription from any doctor could ever tame them. Smoking seemed to relieve the pain somewhat, but it never really went away.

Really, he noticed the headaches flared up whenever he was trying to sort through some obfuscated truth. He just attributed his constant headaches to overthinking. Once whatever was on his mind was cleared up, they’d fade away.

Too bad the need for smoking didn’t.

Around the corner, there was a previously locked door leading into a larger art studio. Inside there were several storage shelves stuffed with copies of the same painting. There had to be several dozen at least. Sitting toward the back of the room there was an easel draped in plastic and marked off for evidence. Its legs were splattered with the victim’s blood. And there was still a pool of it on the floor.

This was clearly where he had been killed. Goro turned around surveying the room. The blood was everywhere. Most of it was concentrated around the easel, but there were splatters and drops on every surface, even the ceiling. 

Two sets of footprints lead into the room: imprints form the victim’s sandals and the killer’s footprints, clearly Kitagawa had chased his victim into here. His steps then meandered around the room over to the shelves. Goro walked over to them, careful not to step on the bloody marks, and pulled out one of the replica paintings.

It was the watercolor painting of a woman. So plain and simple, but the painting captured an irreverent smile as she gazed down into the darkened unfinished half of the work. He slid it back into the cubby with the others and walked over to the easel.

The evidence team had already taken the painting here, supposedly the original from which all these duplicates were made.  
  
A counterfeit operation.

He frowned and rubbed at his forehead. It was aching more now. He could use a quick smoke. That was probably what Kitagawa had smelled on him earlier.

He looked down still contemplating the room and the murder.

“He started downstairs, taking a swing at the victim with the murder weapon. Their fight progressed upstairs…” Goro turned around and looked at the door. “Why come in here? Maybe he thought he could lock the door and call for help? Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he got the chance, and this being a dead-end…”

Goro turned back to the easel, “He was killed, right here before his most precious work. Head severed from the body-” He stopped.

There was a print on the wall behind the easel he could just barely make out through the plastic covering. Did Kitagawa touch the wall trying to take the painting off? Goro walked around and stopped confused.

The print left on the wall was that of a paw.

“What’s this?” He leaned down and peered at it. It was clearly defined as if the animal that left it had their entire paw soaked in blood before touching the wall. “Did he own a dog?” Goro stood up and spun around looking about for any more animal prints.

There were none.

“Just what is this?” He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture. Just as it saved, he got a text from Makoto demanding he come down to the car. He complied but made a point to tell the team gathering up the rest of the evidence to document the strange paw print on the wall and see if they could find any more or a pet lurking around the premises.

  
  
  


Kitagawa said nothing the entire way back to the station. He was set up in an interrogation room and completely restrained.

“What were you doing back in the house?” Makoto stood outside the interrogation room door with a packet of files under her arm.

“I wanted to look at the evidence firsthand,” Goro pulled a cigarette out of his pack. He couldn’t light up in here, but he liked having it in his hands.

“I really don’t think there’s a need.” Makoto looked back at the door, “There’s not even really a need to interview him, this is just to see if he’ll tell us where the murder weapon and head are so we can spend fewer resources trying to recover them.”

“I doubt he’ll say anything,” Goro shrugged. “But let’s get this over with so I can get home at a decent hour.”

“On that, I can agree,” Makoto swung open the door and walked inside with Goro behind her.

She took a seat and dropped the files on the table. Kitagawa kept his head down; he didn’t react to them entering or taking a seat. Goro sat down in the second chair and hit start on the recorder they had in the room.

“State your name,” Goro said. Kitagawa said nothing.

“The longer you make this take, Kitagawa, the worse it will be,” Makoto glared at him.

Still nothing.

“Fine, let’s get started…” Makoto opened the first folder and slid it toward him. “Today at approximately four p.m., a residence on your street called the police to report screaming and a commotion at the residence of Ichiryusai Madarame. Police arrived on the scene twenty minutes later to find the door locked and no response to their attempts to make contact with those inside. The door was broken down and inside the home was seen to be in disarray.”

Makoto began flipping through the images of the home, “Paintings knocked over, furniture on its side, but most importantly blood. Starting in the kitchen, there was a stabbing. The victim fled and the attack continued down the hall and up the stairs, with the victim receiving several more blows to the back and legs…”

Goro looked down at the pictures detailing the path of the assault. It was amazing to him that someone could even bleed so much, but he supposed all the running made it worse.

“You finally cornered him in his private studio upstairs, where you proceeded to slash and stab him until he fell. From there you used your weapon to decapitate him. Is that correct? Answer truthfully.”

Kitagawa finally raised his head. He looked tired. But Goro supposed all that killing really tired him out.

“Are you going to answer me?” Makoto drummed her fingers on the table. The sound of her nails hitting the surface sent a chill down his spine. It was a habit of irritation she had picked up from her older sister. They were a fierce pair of siblings. “Even if you don’t answer me, we have the evidence to convict you. This is just a formality.”

Yusuke leaned forward to look at the pictures, “Can I see the body?”

Makoto stopped rapping her fingers against the table. It was such an odd question that it caught her off guard.

“Want to see your handy work? Fine.” She flipped through the images until she stopped on Madarame’s body. He was lying stomach down in a large pool of his own blood. His yellow and white robes were stained with red. Various areas of his clothing were slashed and cut through, with most of the wounds being concentrated on his legs. Evidence Kitagawa was doing his best to keep him from running.

There were also several stabs to his lower back, and one through his stomach. The cut around his neck was not clean. There were several bits of flesh dangling like jagged ends from where a blade had been swung over and over to hack through his muscles and bones. Judging by the angle of the cuts, it was done while he was lying down.

He couldn’t have died instantly from that… If he was even still alive by the time Kitagawa started swinging.

Goro looked up from the picture to Kitagawa who seemed to be looking for something in the image.

“The silver brush?” He looked up at the two detectives.

Makoto frowned. “Is that why you killed him? I’ll tell you if it was recovered or not, provided you answer my next questions: Where is the head? And where is the murder weapon?”

Kitagawa shook his head, “I do not know.”

“Don’t give us bullshit.” Makoto pulled the photo’s back.

“So what do you know?” Goro leaned forward and folded his hands on the table. “You were found in the home by officers on the scene, just sitting in your room covered in blood. Your prints are all over the body, and your footprints are all over that room. So, what did you do with the head?”

“I merely went into the room to say goodbye to sensei. Cruel as he was, he raised me.”

“Cruel, huh?” Makoto started to talk but Goro turned to her and shook his head.

“So he was abusive to you? Tell me about it.” Goro nodded his head.

Kitagawa stared at him in confusion for a moment. He looked from Makoto to Goro before he started talking, “Sensei was always very demanding. Since high school, he required me to produce a painting a month to cover my living expenses. If I wanted to continue to eat, have an air conditioner in my room, clean clothes, and more, I had to produce art.”

“There had long been rumors that Madarame hadn’t been responsible for producing his own works,” Makoto interjected. “Even if that was true, you had no right to kill him.”

“I did not kill him.”

“Right? You just happened to be covered in his blood from head to toe?” Makoto rolled her eyes.

Goro reached up and rubbed at the middle of his head. It was starting to throb.

“Why did he make you make his artwork? Why not paint himself?”

“When I was younger, sensei informed me he was just suffering from a period of drought. As I got older, he stopped excusing himself… However, his hands…”

“What about his hands?” Goro questioned him further.

“They no longer work.” Yusuke shook his head. “Not only did I have to make new works. I had to make copies of the Sayuri for him to sell.”

Goro turned to Makoto, “His hands no longer worked?”

“I’ll have the coroner check for signs of arthritis… Kitagawa,” Makoto turned her attention back to Yusuke. “So Madarame had to start making counterfeits of his famous painting to sell. Did you kill him for a cut of the profits? To take over the operation yourself?”

Again Yusuke stopped answering.

“This is ridiculous,” Makoto stood up and slammed her hands on the table. “Answer me when I talk to you!”

Goro continued to rub his fingers over his forehead. He really wanted to get this over with so he could have a smoke.

“In the end, it doesn’t matter why you killed him, he’s been murdered, and you’re being charged, Kitagawa. So just tell us where the head and murder weapon are so we can be done here.”

Yusuke finally lifted his head and turned to look at Goro. He stared at him with the same wide-eyed look as he had back at the house. Like he was observing something he’d never seen before.

“I don’t know where the head is. Sayuri took it.”

“Sayuri?” Goro parroted the name back to him. “The painting?”

Yusuke pressed his lips together before speaking again, “I can only tell you that she has them. She probably has the brush as well.”

Makoto sighed, “Alright, I can see we’re getting nowhere with you.” She closed the files on the table and pulled them back toward her. “You’re going to be transferred to the prison in the morning. She stood up, but Goro remained seated.

Yusuke was still staring at him. It was unnerving.

“Kitagawa, if I check the original painting, will I find this silver brush you're talking about?”

“Goro, don’t entertain him.”

“I don’t know,” Yusuke answered.

“Right. Okay then.” Goro got to his feet and followed Makoto out. Once the door was shut he turned to her, “The original painting is in evidence right?”

“Yes, but why do you need to see it?”

Goro tapped his forehead, “Detective instinct.”

“Oh, please,” Makoto shook her head.

“Come on. He asked about the original in the house, and he brought it up here. It’s the only thing he’s talking about. Maybe if we take a look at it, we can understand his motivations a bit better?”

“What motivation is there to understand? Madarame was making a huge profit off his counterfeit operation, and Kitagawa was mistreated. He wanted his dues, was refused and killed him.”

“I mean, yes, that is a good motivation…” Goro shook his head, “But I’m going to go look at the painting.”

“Suit yourself. I’m going to get started on the paperwork. Please, at least start yours tonight. I don’t want to have to do both our desk work for this case. Again.”

“I promise, I promise.” Goro nodded to her before stepping around Makoto and making his way down the hall.

He had no intention of starting his paperwork before tomorrow rolled around. And it would be late at best.  
  
  


Goro made his way down to the evidence locker. The main door was sealed with an electronic lock he had to swipe his ID badge to unlock. Inside there were rows of sealed lockers and cages that contained evidence from the ongoing cases.

Right inside the door, to the side, there was a computer desk he could use to look up what locker the painting was stored in, though he already had a feeling it would be in the larger containers along the back wall. After a quick check-in and confirming its location, Goro made his way through the isles of evidence until he reached the back wall. Sealed in a locker with a plexiglass door was the original Sayuri. Along with several copies. It was wrapped in plastic but surprisingly had no blood splattered on it like the duplicates.

Goro put his hand to the glass, “How did you escape getting dirtied, huh?”

He studied the painting through the glass, trying to determine if there was anything that stood out about it. Any sort of clue as to what Yusuke meant about the silver brush, and the missing murder weapon and head. However, the longer he stared, the more he just felt his headache steadily increase.

To make matters worse the evidence locker felt cold. And the drop in temperature wasn’t helping his head.

“Why does it have to be so darn cold in here? Is all this stuff really that temperature-sensitive?” Goro reached into his coat and pulled out a loose cigarette. He looked down as he twisted it in his fingers and heard the door open and shut behind him. He assumed Makoto was coming to yell at him to not stay down here all night.

“Look, Makoto, I’ll come do my paperwork soon alright?”

She didn’t respond.

“Makoto?” Goro looked up and turned around. He didn’t see Makoto walking through the aisles. He didn’t see anyone actually. The door did open right? “Hello?”

Goro took a few steps forward, scanning the room. The place felt colder with each step. He could swear his breath was starting to puff out before him, and his headache was growing to feel like a split down the middle of his forehead.

“Hey, who came in here?” Goro shouted out, but no one answered.

He finally stopped halfway back to the door when his head was starting to hurt so much it was affecting his vision. It might have been against the rule, and dangerous to do around all the evidence, but he needed a smoke. Goro grasped his head with his free hand as he shoved the cigarette into his mouth with one hand and started to dig out his lighter. Just as he pulled it from his pocket he heard something scrape up against the glass case along the back wall.

A sound like metal.

Goro froze before spinning around and looking back down the way he came.

Much to his shock and surprise, there was an animal standing in front of the Sayuri’s case. A decent-sized white fox. Seeing a fox in the evidence room was already strange enough, but to add to the bizarre sight, the creature had three tails and a long samurai sword with a blue hilt in its mouth, and the blade's edge was covered in dried blood.

Goro blinked several times in confusion, convinced the cold was making him see things.

The fox for a moment turned to drag the sword’s tip across the glass case, drawing attention to the fact that the original painting had changed. The woman in the image was gone. The fox then turned back to Goro and suddenly sprinted his way. Its head swinging back and forth as if brandishing the blade to threaten him.

Hallucination for not, he let out a shout of surprise, the cigarette falling from his mouth. Goro turned to run. He took off as fast as he could, behind him the sound of the sword nicking and scraping along the evidence lockers drew closer.

Goro shot out from the aisle and crossed over to the door. As soon as he put his hand on the handle it swung open and smacked him in the nose. He grabbed his face and fell back annoyed.

“Son of a bitch-!”

“Goro.” Makoto’s voice came to his ears. He let go of his nose and looked her over. “You’ve been down here for half an hour.”

“Makoto!” Goro turned and pointed behind him, “There’s a fox!”

“A fox?” They both looked down the aisle to see nothing.

Goro continued to point, but now turned peeking down each path in the room. “There was! A big, white fox!”

“Uh-huh?” Makoto walked into the room and checked the aisle herself. “Is this some ploy to get out of doing your paperwork?”

“What! No!”

She stopped checking each row and walked down the one Goro had run-up. Makoto picked up his cigarette and lighter frowning. “Goro, you know not to smoke in the building.”

He followed up behind her, “Well I wouldn’t have to if it wasn’t so damn cold in here!”

“Cold?”

“You can see your breath for crying out loud!”

Makoto parted her lips and blew. She saw nothing. “It feels fine in here to me.”

Goro repeated the action and then paused. It did feel significantly warmer.

“Look I’m not doing your reports this time-”

“I’m not trying to get out of my work!” He turned her around and pointed to the Sayuri in the case, “There was a fox right there! With a sword! And the painting changed!”

Makoto didn’t move. “Goro that painting looks the same as all the others.”

“The woman is gone! Just loo-” He looked over Makoto’s shoulder and stopped talking. The painting was back to normal. “I- I swear it was… She vanished! It was just the background!”

“And there was a fox carrying a sword.” Makoto turned back around to him and shook her head, “How about this? I’ll let you off the hook for tonight. Go home. Do your report tomorrow. Okay?”

She patted him on the shoulder and he remained silent. Makoto walked around him to leave but Goro continued to stare at the painting. He approached the glass again and narrowed his eyes. There was a very thin scratch over the surface.

“Kitagawa…”  
  


  
  


Goro made his way up to the holding cells to find Yusuke. He had been put in a cell by himself, still wearing the same bloodied clothing.

“Kitagawa!” Goro grabbed the bars and shouted at him. Yusuke didn’t get up from his seat to acknowledge him. He was sitting in the middle of his cell, knees folded under him, just like in the art studio. “Kitagawa! Come here and talk to me about the Sayuri!”

“What do you wish to know?” Yusuke looked up.

“I- Well-“ Goro paused, where did he even start. “….Tell me about the fox.”

At its mention Yusuke’s eyes went wide, “You saw her?”

“So there _is_ a fox!”

He shook his head, “Why would she show herself to you…” He rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “Unless she smells the same thing?”

“What is that fox’s connection to this case and that painting, you know don’t you. Tell me right now what’s going on.”

Yusuke hesitated before shaking his head. “I cannot answer you.”

“What do you mean you can’t! You just won’t!”

“I am bound by contract…” Yusuke shook his head. “I cannot tell you anything about the Sayuri or why she would be visible to you.”

“A contract?” Goro frowned as he watched Yusuke nod.

“I cannot answer you. I’m sorry.”

Goro let go of the bars and folded his arms. A contract and a strange fox? His mind had a lot to think about, so much so his headache was now a steady dull throb. There was no way he was going home until he had an answer.

But if Yusuke was bound by contract, then that meant there was one written up somewhere right?  
  
  
  


Goro returned to Madarame’s home. The rest of the officers had left by now, and the sun had set. The place was closed off and had a security lock on the door to keep civilians out.

He began inspecting room by room looking for the contract Yusuke spoke of. It wasn’t until over two hours later into his search that he found what he thought he was looking for in Madarame’s room.

Stored in a bookcase next to his bed, Goro found a folder with a few files and ledgers inside. Among them, he found a dark blue paper with words printed in gold ink. It was a contract for the purchase of a pet. However, the contract was not for Madarame.

It was for a man named Kitagawa Gomen.

Goro read over the contract’s statements and agreements. Gomen had signed for the care, housing, and affections of was classified as a ‘snow white kitsune’ multiple times throughout the text. It was strange, to say the least. Along with Gomen’s name, Goro found the original creator of the contract’s signature listed as ‘Joker’, and the shop where he’d acquired the animal was named ‘The Velvet Pet Shop’.

“This must be what Kitagawa was going on about… But this isn’t in his name?”

Goro read through the contract, looking over clauses stating what Gomen was allowed to do with his fox, detailing not disclosing its existence to others, keeping it safe, respecting it’s autonomy, never addressing it as a ‘kitsune’ out in public. The list went on and on of details on how he was required to conceal his purchase from any prying eyes. If anything, it made the exchange of this pet very suspicious.

Goro looked over the paper and saw the address for the shop was listed at the bottom under the signatures. It was located in Shinjuku. And the entire thing was dated for over twenty years ago.

He removed the blue contract from the book of files and slipped the book back on the shelf. Upon doing so, he found that it did not fit. Something was now in the spot preventing it from sliding all the way into the back.

He pulled the book back out and peered in between the gap. He could barely make out something white and silver.

“That wasn’t there before was it? Or maybe it was leaning up and the book was hiding it?” Goro reached inside and pulled out two items. One looked to be a keychain made up of white fox fur wrapped tightly in red string. The other was a silver paintbrush with no bristles. Upon inspection of the brush, Goro could see there were a few white stubs at the end where the bristles would be as if they had all been cleanly cut off.

“The silver brush Yusuke was looking for?” Goro looked at the three items in his hands. “Is this what Kitagawa killed him over?”

He contemplated what to do for a moment. He should take all this back to the station and file it into evidence. But… If he went to the address in Shinjuku now, he could more than likely come up with some answers to his questions.

Besides, it’s not like he was going to get any rest with his current headache.

  
  
  


This wouldn’t be the first time Goro found himself visiting Shinjuku’s red-light district in the middle of the night for a case, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last. He took the train and walked the evening streets, crowded with drunken businessmen and women trying to stumble their way home until he reached the location of the address on the contract.

The pet shop was located at the end of an alley not far from the station, down the end of a street that had a movie theater on one corner and a host club on the other. Between the two was the alleyway and even from the edge of the movie theater, Goro could see a blue door in a little nook toward the back of the street.

There was no sign to indicate if it was in fact the shop or not, not even a sign to show if it was a business that was open. For all he knew it was a back door to the host club or some other store.

The only reason he knew it was the place he was looking for was because on the door were four golden numbers hanging: 1797.  
  
“That’s the address that matches this contract,” Goro stood on the side of the street with the theater. He positioned himself just after the last movie poster and leaned up against the wall. “But the place shows no signs of movement.”

No one was making their way down the alley, and anyone who did didn’t seem to notice or interact with the door, and no one was coming in or out of the place. He stood watching for a good ten minutes, just long enough to slowly work his way through a cigarette and a half before deciding to go check the place out.

He tossed what was left of his current stick on the concrete and made his way down the sidewalk and across the street.

Once he stood outside the door he paused, noting his head had finally stopped hurting. And he could hear a faint tune, almost like a woman singing an opera verse accompanied by a piano.

Goro knocked a few times but didn’t wait for anyone to respond. He tested the doorknob and finding it opened pushed the door inward and stepped inside.

Inside the shop, he was met with several dark blue tones with a few splashes of crimson consisting of the carpeting, the butterfly damask wallpaper, and even the cushions on the furniture- the base of the structures were at least plain old hardwood. But the color wasn’t what struck him as odd when he entered, rather the fact that this pet shop didn't seem to have any pets?

Across from Goro, there was a second closed door and the room was set up so that one had to enter and step down into what looked like some hotel’s tea room or lobby area. There was a large couch, a love seat, a few chairs, a red rug rolled out under a table. On the table there was a setup like someone had been having a coffee, one mug was out. Next to the couch, there was a simple end table with an old-style, golden rotary phone.

In one corner of the room, there was an old retro styled phonograph with a golden bell sitting on a stand, it was the source of the melody that filled the room. Across from it, there was a golden birdcage hanging from the ceiling, inside there was a single butterfly and a bouquet of fresh flowers, with nearly clear wings. If it wasn’t for the fact the insect was gracefully fluttering from blossom to blossom he would have thought it was a crystal ornament.

His eyes scanned over the room taking in the strangeness of it all before he turned back to the door across from him and jumped as his eyes fell on a young man now standing in front of it.

“Can I help you?” He stared Goro down with a serious gaze and an unamused tone. Goro hadn’t even heard the door open, let alone shut. It was as if the other man just appeared there.

He was a bit shorter than Goro and had short black curly hair with bangs that nearly obscured his eyes. His eyes, Goro noticed right away, were two different colors. His right eye was gold, his left eye was red. Clearly cosmetic contacts, he thought. He wore a pair of simple black-framed glasses and dressed in a black yukata with a lotus pattern over the fabric. 

Goro cleared his throat and stepped down into the room, “Yes. I am Detective Akechi Goro, with Tokyo Police. I’m looking for an establishment called ‘The Velvet Petshop’.”

“You’ve found it,” the other man didn’t move down into the room. He folded his arms together as he looked Goro up and down. Goro noted he seemed guarded. He also didn’t appear too old, more than likely was around Goro’s age or younger. He couldn’t be the shop owner that signed the contract.

“I see,” he continued to cross the room until he stopped a foot away from him, “Then can you tell me where I can find ‘Joker’?”

“I am Joker,” he answered.

Goro frowned. “You can’t be older than twenty.”

“Looks can be deceiving,” as he answered the corner of his mouth twisted up into a smirk, “How can I help you, Detective.”

Goro shook his head, he pulled the contract from his coat, for immediately Joker’s arrogant expression dropped a little, “If you are Joker, then I need to talk to you about this contract.”

“Where did you get that?” He finally stepped down into the room and reached out for it, only for Goro to pull away.

“I’m the detective,” he shook his head. “I ask the questions.”

He watched Joker slowly lower his hand. He squared up his shoulders and put on his best polite smile.

“Ask away, then, Detective.”

“You say this is a pet shop, where are the pets?”

“In the back.” He answered readily.

“Why do you have no sign out front? What kind of pet shop has no advertisement and no pets on display?”

“We’re a specialized shop. We usually only take clients by appointment or recommendation. Everyone is interviewed before they are allowed to select a pet.”

“So, you sell exclusive animals?” Goro looked over the contract, “Like say things that shouldn’t be sold? Illegal pet trading perhaps?”

“Nothing we do here is illegal.” He didn’t flinch at the accusation, “And we do not just ‘sell’ pets. We match individuals to animal partners who best suit their needs and wants, and allow them to take care of each other under strict guidelines and rules.” Joker motioned to the contract in Goro’s hands, “Those that are matched with a pet sign a contract, with the explicit understanding that if they violate the clauses, their care of the animal will be terminated, and the animal removed. And that we are not liable for any mishaps, or loss that happens as a result of contract violations.”

Goro frowned. He sounded so sure of himself. “You keep saying ‘We’ is someone else here?”

“I’m here!”

Goro jumped as a second male voice answered his question. He quickly turned his head to see another young man standing at the front door. He was Joker's exact double, well except his eyes were reversed with the right being red and the left being gold. He wore a red and gold yukata with a forget-me-not pattern over the fabric, and unlike his obvious twin, his demeanor was much lighter and more enthusiastic. He stepped down into the room and walked past Goro toward his brother, allowing him to see the pattern on the back of his clothing: a black carp eating a butterfly.

“You didn’t tell me we had a guest tonight, brother!” He watched the twin reach out and grab Joker’s shoulder before sliding his hand smoothly over his sibling’s collar bone as he circled around him. “I would have come home much sooner!”

After he finished walking around his twin, who did not move or take his eyes off Goro, the other bother stopped and with a teasing smirk and a wink spoke again, “Especially for such a handsome guest.”

“He’s not a guest, Joker, he’s a detective.”

“Joker?” Goro frowned. “You’re also named ‘Joker’?”

“Oh!” The other Joker seemed delighted to explain, “It’s a family name! But if you need to distinguish between us, you can call me Joker A,” he motioned to himself, “And my brother is Joker R.”

Goro sighed, he was certain he should be getting a headache by now, but one didn’t come, “A and R? Why? To distinguish who’s first?”

Joker A’s face lit up with a toothy grin, but Joker R rolled his eyes.

“I’m the oldest,” R retorted.

“Oh, you could let him think-”

“No,” R turned to his brother and snapped. It was the first time he seemed agitated.

“It doesn’t matter to me which one of you is older or not!” Goro huffed, “What matters to me is which one of you is the one that sold, or contracted, or whatevered a white fox to Kitagawa Gomen!”

“Kitagawa…” A shook his head.

“Oh,” R inhaled, “Oh you’re looking for Papa.”

Goro frowned, “There’s a third one of you? Let me guess. He goes by… Joker Z, or some such nonsense.”

“No,” both the twins answered at the same time leaving Goro a bit unnerved. “Papa is just ‘Joker’.”

“This is his shop,” A spoke up on his own. “We’re watching it while he’s away.”

“When will he be back?”

“We’re unsure,” R answered next, “He and Father left out of the country to see Uncle. He’s terribly sick. They’re seeing to him while he gets better.”

“It’s because Aunty brought home that cat,” A whispered to R, “She knows they don’t agree with him.”

“It’s Uncle’s fault for letting her always have her way.”

Goro cleared his throat and the two stopped bantering between themselves. They annoyed him, to say the least. But if they had a father who also went by ‘Joker’ that would explain why the name was on such an old contract. But out of the country…

“Well since I can’t speak to your father, then I need to speak to you two about this,” Goro held up the contract. “I need to know about Gomen, Sayuri, and Kitagawa Yusuke, so start talking.”

Goro watched the two twins exchange a glance. A looked troubled, but R looked exhausted.

“Over coffee,” they both agreed with each other.

R turned and motioned to the sitting area before turning to take a seat himself. As he moved away Goro got a look at the pattern on the back of his yukata: a gold and red dragon consuming a butterfly.

R took a seat on the couch, while Goro sat down in the loveseat. A entered into the backroom to retrieve two more mugs and a fresh pot of coffee for the three of them. Once they had each been served he joined his brother on the couch across from Goro.

“Alright,” Goro didn’t even touch his coffee while the other two started drinking. “Tell me about Gomen.”

“He was an artist,” R spoke first.

“I remember he came by when we were still in training. He was very nice. Gave us some cool mint candy.”

Goro frowned, A seemed to enjoy frivolous details.

“He was looking for inspiration. He came to the shop on a recommendation from another client and had an extensive interview with Papa. They finally settled on Sayuri as a match for him.”

“Sayuri is the name of Ichiryusai Madarame’s most famous painting,” Goro interjected.

Both the twins' lips turned down. A took a long sip, but R set his cup down.

“Sayuri was a beautiful creature. Gomen was inspired by her, but he was never a famous artist. He wanted to create for the sake of beauty. And he made many creations inspired by her.”

“So where is Gomen now?” Goro set the contract on the table, “Why does Madarame have his contract for this fox?”

“Gomen passed away years ago.” R sighed.

“However his wife came to the shop after his death.” A continued to story, “She was pregnant. She spoke at length with Papa and they came to an agreement. Since no part of the contract’s policy had been violated, she would inherit the contract. She named her son Yusuke. Though we never met him, she sent Papa letters.”

“So then,” Goro looked down at the paper, “This contract belongs to Yusuke and his mother? Not Madrame!” He tapped his finger on the paper. “You said your father sold this fox for ‘inspiration’? Madarame was apparently dried up for ideas. If he was stealing his student’s work… Then he more than likely stole their source of inspiration. Or at least kept it captive to keep Yusuke painting!”

The twins looked at each other concerned.

“Madarame is dead, correct?” R asked.

Goro kept quiet, picked up his coffee cup, and took a sip finally. As he did so he caught a glance of the twins watching him curiously. Goro frowned and set his mug down. “…Why do you ask?”

“You said Madarame ‘was’ not ‘is’,” R pointed out.

Goro pressed his lips together and watched them. His head wasn’t giving him any trouble, but he felt something was off. “You said Gomen’s wife had to come here to talk about keeping the fox-”

“To keep the contract.”

“Whatever- Why? Why return a pet a man has had all his life? Is it that valuable?” Neither of them answered. “Would it be valuable enough to kill for? Perhaps for two shop owners to kill over?”

“We would never kill,” R shook his head.

“We are not liable for any loss that takes place due to a contract violation,” A retorted. For once he looked as serious as his brother.

“The fox, she’s white, right? With three tails?”

“Three!” A exclaimed.

“You saw her…” his brother whispered. “Why?”

“What do you mean why? Yusuke was always surprised I saw her. Should she be hidden away somewhere?” Neither answered. “Well?”

“You said she had three tails?” R redirected.

“Yes.”

A shook his head, “That’s no good… Madarame won’t be the last.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m afraid that’s all we can tell you without you being the contract holder, Detective.”

_“Excuse you?”_

“We are bound to keep our clients' privacy.”

“Privacy!” Goro got to his feet, “A man is dead! And the son of your former client is in jail for the murder! Tell me why it’s so shocking I saw this fox!”

A lowered his head but R rose to his feet, “I think it’s time for you to go, Detective. Your work is not yet done. And yelling at us won’t stop the next murder.”

“So you’re admitting you know something,” he snatched up the contract. “Fine. I’ll be back with a warrant. And if it’s proven you two are involved, you’ll be in jail along with Kitagawa!” Goro stormed past the couch and stepped up to the door. He practically swung it open and it slammed shut behind him as he left.

Both the twins turned their heads to watch the door in silence for a few moments before R spoke up.

“Lavenza.”

“Yes, Joker?” A little girl approached from across the room. She was golden-eyed, with long blond hair, and a blue dress made for serving tea. Across her head, she had a black and blue laced headband that ended with crystal butterfly wing decorations.

“I think it’s time to collect Sayuri and her son.”

  
  


  
Goro made it as far as the Shinjuku station platform before his phone started buzzing. He dug it out of his pocket to see Makoto was calling him.

“Makoto, it’s late? What’s up?”

“Where are you?” she sounded annoyed.

“Uh, Shinjuku,” Goro used his free hand to find his cigarette pack. It was almost empty. Strangely his head wasn’t bothering him, but he just wanted one out of habit.

“You need to come back to the station, immediately.”

“Come back? Didn’t you already go home? I mean the trains are going to stop running in an hour here-”

“There’s been another murder,” she cut him off. “I got the call right as I got home. And at the station… The Sayuri is missing.”

“Missing!”

“Well, it's more like what you told me earlier. The woman in the painting is gone. I’m heading back now to see what’s going on and then heading to the crime scene.”

“…Forget the crime scene, just talk to Kitagawa.” Goro stuffed the cigarette back in his pocket, “And ask the chief for a warrant for two clowns going by the name ‘Joker’ that run a pet shop in Shinjuku!”

“Joker? A pet shop? What?”

“Listen just do it, I’ll meet you at the station.” Goro hung up his phone and cursed.

Another murder? And one of those oddball twins had shown up at the shop after he had. He didn’t know how they did it, but he was certain they were in on this mystery.  
  
  
  


When Goro returned to the precinct, the place was in a bit of chaos. The place had been shut down as officers scrambled to try and find out what had happened to the original Sayuri. Many speculated it had been swapped out for a fake when they were gathering evidence. Some suspected a corrupt officer took it in the hopes of selling it later. Honestly, Goro would have believed these speculations himself if not for the fact he saw the painting change earlier.

And for the throbbing headache had the moment he entered the doors.

“Something is off here… And the answer isn’t the painting.”

He made his way down to the holding cells to see Yusuke. He found the painter sitting toward the back of his cell holding something in the palm of his hands. It was close up to his face, but Goro could make out it looked a bit reflective.

“What is that?” He barked from the other side of the cell’s bars, causing Yusuke’s head to snap up. As he did so a butterfly rose up from Yusuke’s hands toward the ceiling. Goro eyed it confused as it landed on the roof of the cell and then slowly crawled over to an air vent and went inside. “It’s the middle of the night… How did that even get in here?”

“Do you need something, Detective?”

“Yeah,” Goro lowered his gaze. “I need you to tell me about a few things.” Goro pulled out the contract, the paintbrush, and the foxtail keychain. “I found these at Madarame’s place.”

“You-!” Yusuke immediately came toward the bars, hands stretched out. Goro took a step back so he was out of reach and shook his head.

“Talk. Tell me about Gomen. He’s your father right?” Yusuke continued to stretch outward reaching for Goro, his eyes fixed on the keychain. Annoyed, Goro crammed the items back into his coat. “Talk, will you! There’s been a second murder! And I want answers!”

After the charm was put away Yusuke lowered his hands. He slumped against the bars. “I cannot tell you anything about the murders.”

“But you do know something. You mentioned this contract, and I found it. I went and I saw those two twins… Are they the ones doing the killing? Did they offer you money for your father’s fox? For the original Sayuri? What? Just tell me what deal you made!”

Yusuke chuckled, he slowly smiled at Goro and shook his head, “How strange… You clearly see the truth laid out before you, but it's obscured for some reason. Are you doing that yourself…I wonder. The smell of smoke covers up the real odor.”

“Hey,” Goro angrily kicked the bars causing Yusuke to back up from them, “Don’t play dumb! Tell me what the payout is here!”

“The payout is to Sayuri.” Yusuke frowned. “Madarame had to pay for his sins of vanity. He paid with his life. He and his two partners must pay. This second murder is not the last.”

“Not the last?”

“Goro!” Makoto came sprinting down the hall toward him, “The front desk told me I’d find you here… Did you figure out what happened to the painting?”

“The painting doesn’t matter,” Goro didn’t take his eyes off Yusuke as he pulled out the contract and items from his coat. “This contract is the source of the mystery.”

“A contract?” Makoto took it and quickly skimmed the paper. “For a fox?”

“Sold to Kitagawa’s father by some clown named ‘Joker’. He’s not at the address but his two sons are.” Goro turned to her, “One was there when I arrived, the second came in after. And then you called me with news of the second murder… They’re in cahoots with Kitagawa here, I’m sure of it. Not sure what the fox is worth. But it and the painting must be valuable for all this bloodshed.”

“You’re wrong,” Yusuke shook his head, “The painting has no value.”

“Tell that to all the fools that bought counterfeits,” Makoto folded up the contract. “What else have you got there?”

“Not sure, one of them I’m certain is the brush our suspect was looking for… Don’t know what this other is. But hand them off to evidence, there’s going to be a third victim and we have to track them down quickly.”

“How do you?”

“He said so,” Goro jerked his head toward the cell. “Madarame and his two partners. Two are dead, so the third is up next. And with the lady in the painting missing again, I have a feeling it’s going to be soon.”

“Goro,” Makoto shook her head, “Your feelings aren’t going to solve every case.”

“Maybe not, but they’ve been right on for this one! So let’s get going.”

“Detective,” Yusuke called out from his cell, his attention had turned up toward the air duct, “I do hope you are safe in your endeavor … I won’t be here when you return to answer more questions.”

“What?” Makoto scoffed. “Are you announcing your escape?”

“No, just that I will be gone.”

Makoto and Goro looked at each other, “We’ll post a guard to watch him. We don’t have time to do it ourselves. Come on.” He pat Makoto on the shoulder and she started off ahead of him. Goro followed on her heels, only looking back for a moment to see Yusuke reaching up toward the ceiling and the butterfly floating back down.

If it weren’t for the fact that he saw it flying, he would have thought it was made of crystal.  
  
  
  


It didn’t take much research to discover Madarame’s remaining associate was Akiko Kawanabe. Makoto pulled up the information on him by quickly sorting through Madarame’s business connections and the two took off for his home in the residential streets of Shibuya.

On the ride over Goro tried calling ahead to alert the man to the fact that his life was in danger, but no one picked up.

“It is past one in the morning…” Makoto drove. Their car steadily rolled down the quiet street of gated off homes. “He’s more than likely asleep. Probably hasn’t even heard about Madarame’s death yet.”

Goro leaned out the window, “Yeah, well, if we don’t get there soon, he’ll hear about it from Madarame’s ghost himself.”

The two stopped just in front of Kawanabe’s home. There was a light on in the second story, but no signs of movement.

“What do these twin suspects look like?”

“A couple of idiots in Yukatas.” Goro opened the passenger’s side door.

“Yukatas? Not very efficient for killing in…” Makoto got out as well.

“Yeah, well, they’ve also go some, dumb mirror heterochromia thing going on.”

“What?” she scoffed.

“I’m serious! They’re each wearing one contact of one color, it’s stupid-”

Goro stopped mocking the twins when the light went out in the window. Along with it a few of the streetlamps went off too. He glanced around and could make out Makoto pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders as she sighed.

“I hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten from inside the car…”

Goro licked his lips and turned back to the house as he placed his palm to his forehead. “We need to get inside, now. You take the front, I’ll take the back.”

The two split up as agreed upon, and Goro circled to the back of the house. As he made his way around the corner he spotted the back door. It had a lower hinge broken and was hanging on its side.

“Shit…” He dug around into his pockets to pull out a pocket-sized flashlight before drawing his gun. With the flashlight in one hand and his gun in the other, he entered the house. The immediate room didn’t show any signs of disturbance, but Goro still carefully made his way inside.

It was colder in the home than out in the open air. With every step he took, his breath clearly puffed out before him. In addition, the cold was making his headache return in full force.

“Where is this guy?” He didn’t want to call out, lest he alerts the intruder to his and Makoto’s presence in the home.

By the time Goro had made his way through half the rooms, he heard a thud overhead. He had no idea if that was Makoto, Kawanabe, or the intruder, but he hurried around the hall and did his best to sprint upstairs as quickly and quietly as possible.

The upstairs of the home was in more disarray. Like in Madarame’s home, things had been knocked over and there was a trail of blood and footprints leading down the hall. Goro followed them to a room in the back corner of the house, the door was partially closed and he could hear a man pleading from within.

“P-please-! Please! I’m sorry-! I’m-”

“Sorry isn’t good enough!” A woman’s voice spat back.

Goro gripped his gun and positioned his hands with his wrist crossed, so he could hold the light outward and position his gun hand on top. He kicked open the door and called out.

“Don’t move!”

Though he took a step into the room without hesitation, the moment he entered he was hit with two sensations. The first being an intense cold, enough to make his teeth chatter, and the second was a blinding headache. All at once, his skull was throbbing to the point it became difficult to see. The corners of his vision were blurred with strings of light and it was difficult to hold himself steady.

“P-put your hands up! Don’t move!” His light fell on Kawanabe lying on the floor in his pajamas, his grey hair was a mess, and his legs were bleeding from several cuts and stabs made as his calves. Standing over him was a woman with a delicate figure, pale skin, long black hair pulled into a ponytail over her shoulder, and black eyes. She wore a red kimono and carried a long samurai sword. The hilt of which was blue and the blade was caked in dried blood.

“You,” she turned to Goro, “The one from the station.”

Goro kept his eyes on her. She looked familiar, and though his mind told him she looked just like the woman in the painting, he refused to believe it.

“I’ve never met you before. Put your weapon down and back away from him.”

“You need not be here,” she snarled, “There is no need for your kind here.”

“You’re committing a crime! And wanted for murder! There's a reason for me to be here! Back away from him!”

“A crime? I am only carrying out justice. These men have committed the crime, and now they must pay!” She turned back to Kawanabe and held her sword up ready to strike him, he let out a cry of terror and Goro called out to her.

“Stop! Stop!” He had to stall her until Makoto got upstairs, “Fine, tell me about this crime they committed! Huh? At least tell me what you’re doing!”

She paused the sword held up high in the air, and Goro used the opportunity to inch forward.

“Fine, it is the way of your kind to demand justice… So listen and judge.” She lowered her weapon, “They stole my life. They stole my art. They stole my son.”

“You’re son, Yusuke?” Goro tried to take another step but the pain in his head made him stumble a bit. The woman turned her sword and pointed it toward him to hold him in place. “You- you’re Gomen’s wife? Right?”

“…My husband was an artist. Though he was never famous, or never recognized on a large scale, his works were beautiful… He taught me to paint. And when he died, I wanted to pass that talent onto our son. I met Madarame as a small art exhibit. He offered to train me further, to sponsor me… At the time he was not as famous as he is now- but he still had a bigger name than we did. I thought it would finally be a chance to share Gomen’s works with the world…”

“The Sayuri was Gomen’s painting, wasn’t it?”

“No,” she shook her head, and her blade dropped a bit allowing Goro to try and inch forward again. “It was mine. I painted it, a portrait of Yusuke and I… Madarame promised to feature it in his next big show. I thought my husband's dream would finally be realized. And then _he_ came. The Collector.”

“The who?” Goro took a few deep breaths. The pain and the cold were starting to make it harder for him to stand. His hand was shaking, as evident by how the light wavered around the room.

“That human man that’s dangerous to _our_ kind. He was a benefactor of Madarame’s. Had I known I wouldn’t have tutored under him. He took one _look_ at me and saw me for what I was. He told Madarame what I was. He told him if he took my tails he’d be able to create my art himself…”

This time she lifted her sword back up and touched it to the end of Goro’s flashlight, holding it steady on her face. Goro got a good look at her as her fair features contorted into a snarl. As her lips curled up he could see a mouth full of sharp teeth.

“He poisoned me! And as I lay dying he hacked into me! Madarame made every one of my tails into a brush to create new arts! And to take things further he stole Gomen’s paintings and my own! He painted over my portrait! He stole my son and ‘raised’ him to be a slave!”

“D- Dying!” Goro felt his chest heaving. He could barely keep his eyes open. “You’re standing right here!”

“Because of my son… I used the last of my strength to put my soul into that portrait. But I was trapped in a prison of watercolor. Once Yusuke started to develop a tail, Madarame clipped that too. But he was a fool. Using our magic without consent, his hands began to deteriorate. Yusuke had to do his dirty work for him. And my son began the work to release me. With every copy he made, using the brushes from my tail, he restored me. And now I’m passing judgment on Madarame and the men he gave my power out to!”

Goro found himself gasping for air, the cold scratched at his throat.

“That’s a fantastic story… But just that! A story! You’ve still committed two murders! Stolen artworks or not! You’re under arrest!”

At his words, the woman flicked her sword and knocked the flashlight from Goro’s hands. He tried to shoot at her, but the impact from his flashlight being knocked away caused him to shoot upward. She moved forward and struck at his chest with the butt of her sword before pinning him on the ground. She wrapped a hand around his neck, but it felt like it was covered in fur, and her nails felt like claws.

The flashlight pointed toward the opposite wall and in the dim light, between his dizzied gaze, Goro could see her eyes widening and elongating as a snout grew out of her face. Behind her six shadows danced like long, flowing tails. He could feel her overhand pressing around on his chest and pulling at his coat, but that wasn’t his immediate concern. She had him pinned now, if she wanted he was a dead man.

“You know the truth. Even if you obscure it with smoke and lies. If I was lying you would kill me. That is _your_ way.”

“I- I don’t make the calls… I’m not the judge! But I will bring you in!”

She snapped at him and withdrew her hand from his coat.

“Please!” from behind them Kawanabe spoke up. They turned their heads to see the man holding up three silver brushes with white bristles. “Just take them! J-just take them… And spare us, please!”

She leaped off of Goro to Kawanabe and snatched the brushes from him. Goro propped himself up to watch her shove the bristles into her mouth and tear them off with her teeth. While she consumed them the six long tails behind her twisted and turned and began to split apart until she had nine in total.

“T-there!” Kawanabe tried to pull himself away from her, “We’re even now, aren’t we?”

“Not yet!” She raised her sword and again the old man let out a scream. Goro pointed his gun at her and shouted as well. He fired as the sword came down into the man’s neck.

Blood began spraying from his artery as she wretched it back and swung down again. Goro wanted to fire again, but the pain was now causing him to see double. He struggled to prop himself up on his elbow and could barely make out the woman’s form shifting each time the sword came down.

He blinked and rubbed his eyes before grabbing at his forehead and gasping for air.

Pain. He was in so much pain. His mind raced about what to do. He couldn’t just lie here and watch the victim being murdered. As his thoughts reeled an old rhyme came back to mind.

_“I’m hurting. I’m hurting. I need you to help me... Diarama, Diarahan, please take away all my pain…”_

For a moment, Goro felt a bit of clarity as the pain in his head was soothed. He turned to see a large white, nine-tailed fox standing over the decapitated body of Kawanabe.

It turned to him, the bloodied sword in his mouth and he felt his heart stop.

“Goro!” he could hear Makoto calling to him from down the hall.

The fox raised its head toward the door and then turned to the nearest window. He watched stunned as it bound through the window, breaking the glass, and fleeing unphased.

Seconds later Makoto burst into the room, her flashlight frantically scanning and stopping on Goro on the ground. He was splattered with Kawanabe’s blood, and the man’s body was bleeding out onto the floor.

“Goro… What happened!”

“T-the window… The Fox- The woman! She escaped out the window!” He struggled to get up, but Makoto was quickly at his side, pushing back down.

“Don’t move. Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine! I just- my head…” Goro took a deep breath, the room didn’t feel ice-cold anymore and the pain in his skull was subsiding. “She got away…”

“We’ll find her, don’t worry. Come on! Let’s get you outside!” Makoto helped him to his feet and escorted him out of the house.  
  
  
  
  
Once back to their patrol car, Makoto grabbed the radio to call in Kawanabe’s death. In turn, she was greeted with the news that Yusuke was also dead.

He’d committed suicide in his cell.

“What?” Goro leaned against the car door, “How!?”

“They said he stabbed himself with a sword. A samurai sword…”

“What about the guards watching him! How did he even get a sword?”

“They feel asleep… Woke up to find him impaled in his cell.” Makoto sighed. “The footage is being reviewed right now, but his body has been taken to the morgue. Once backup arrives at the scene, we should head there next.”

Goro opened the passenger’s door and practically fell into his seat. He looked back up at the darkened house just as the lights came back on. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

  
  


After backup and an ambulance arrived, Makoto and Goro turned the scene over to the cleanup and evidence crew so they could set out for the morgue. Goro was silent the entire way there. The throbbing in his head had stopped, but he felt sick.

How had so much gone so wrong so quickly?

He just knew it had to be because of those two at the pet shop. Something about that place was linked to these deaths. And the fox… The woman?

He put his palm to his forehead and sighed. Did he really see that, or were the cold and the headache making him see things?

“We’re here,” Makoto pulled into the parking garage of their destination, the hospital closest to the station. “We take the elevator from here down to the morgue. Are you alright?”

She looked over at Goro. He silently nodded.

“Maybe I should have taken you home… I can always check the body myself.”

“No, I want to see it.” Goro opened his door and stepped out, “I have to see it.”

Makoto got out after him and they made their way to the elevator and down.

They were quickly taken to see Yusuke’s body. He hadn’t even been put into cold storage yet. The staff member took them into a room where they were setting up for his autopsy. Though they were certain they had a clear cause of death since he was found with a sword through his chest.

“Right this way,” the hospital staff member walked them over to a flat table with a sheet on it. Goro looked around the room confused and watched as they pulled it back to reveal a blank table.

Makoto looked down and shook her head. “I just don’t understand how it happened…”

“What?” Goro looked at her in shock.

“How he even got the sword.” Makoto clarified before looking back at the table. He twisted his face in confusion and looked back down at the empty metal table with her.

“Are all those bruises fresh?” Makoto asked as she gestured her hand over the space.

“Oh, no they’re old. You can see how dark they are. There are also dark patches of skin and scar tissue on his back and legs. Clearly, he’s had several injuries inflicted upon him that were never properly treated. Not to mention how thin he is…”

‘You can see here,” the staffer pointed with their index and middle finger as they moved their hand around in a circle about a foot over the table, “He managed to pierce right through his chest into his heart. Though he doesn’t appear to have that much upper body strength, it seems to be a clean singular cut. I would wager the frailness of his body made it easy to stab through.”

Goro dragged his hand through his hair wide-eyed and silent. There was nothing on the table.

“Could it have also been the sharpness of the blade that made it so easy?”

“Could have been.”

“What the hell are you two talking about!” Goro slammed his hands down on the table. Makoto jumped and the hospital worker looked annoyed.

“Officer, please! Be careful of the body!”

“What body? There’s nothing fucking here!” He slammed the table again and this time the staff member grabbed his wrist.

“Listen, officer, or not! If you damage the body before the examination, I’m going to have to report you!”

“Goro,” Makoto put a hand on his back concerned, “Are you alright? What do you mean there’s nothing here?” Makoto looked down at the table. “You mean you don’t’ see the hole from the sword?”

“You can’t be serious…” He pulled away from her, “You can’t honestly- Makoto there’s nothing- There’s-!” He pointed at the empty table and they both just stared at him confused.

Finally, the staffer turned to her, “Is your partner alright?”

“I don’t know…” Makoto took a few steps forward. “Goro, I think I was right, I should have taken you home. Clearly having that run-in with the killer has left you more in shock than we thought…”

“No,” Goro held up his hands to her. “No, I- You-” He quickly looked back and forth between the two of them. Was he really the only one who saw nothing? “I need a smoke.” Goro pulled further back and hurried around Makoto to leave the room.

He could still hear her and the staff speaking in concerned tones about his reaction.

Goro staggered out into the hall in a daze. He dragged his hands over his eyes and groaned. Nothing was on that table. He was sure of it. He touched the table, there was no body.

He walked over to the adjacent wall and put his back to it as he pulled out his packet of smokes.

“My head’s not even hurting…” He grumbled. “If anything I’m thinking more clearly than usual…” He stared down at his last stick contemplating what was wrong before he saw movement out the corner of his eye.

Goro looked up to see a little girl standing with her back to him at the end of the hall. It was already unusual to see kids in this part of a hospital. But the sight of the girl made Goro’s heart skip a beat. She had long blond hair held back by a black headband with crystal butterfly wings on the end. And her dress was the deep blue tone as the waiting room in the pet shop.

She turned around to smile politely at him, her golden eyes set with an endearing stare. And in her arms, she held a slender white fox with blue eyes and a stub of a tail.

Goro’s mouth fell open as she turned away to face the corner and the woman in red stepped out. She held out her hand and produced the foxtail keychain Goro had taken from Madarame’s home. He immediately looked away to begin patting down his pockets in shock.

But all he could find was the silver brush.

He looked back up and shouted at them. “Hey!”

The woman turned to smile at him just as the fox reached out to eat the keychain. She then took the little girl’s hand and the two started walking back around the corner.

“Hey! Come back here!” Goro sprinted off after them, nearly sliding on the floor as he rounded the corner-

And was met with a dead end.

“Goro!” Makoto emerged from the room, “Who are you screaming at?”

He pointed down the hall at nothing as he looked back at her. Then slowly shook his head.

“Nothing… I saw… Nothing.”

  
  
  


The next morning Goro took off of work at Makoto’s insistence. But he had already resolved he was going to spend the day away from the precinct. He knew exactly where he was going once he got up that morning: down to the red light district and that weird pet shop.

He didn’t bother to wait around or knock this time, Goro just slammed open the door and called out angrily.

“Hey! Where are you two Jokers!”

“I’m right here, Detective.” One of the brothers was sitting on the couch with his back to the door. He didn’t at all seem bothered by Goro’s loud intrusion.

“Alright A!” Goro stormed over and held the contract up in front of him, “Talk! And tell me the truth!”

“First of all,” the twin's lips pressed down into a frown, “I am R. Can’t you tell us apart?”

“Who cares who you are! You’re both under arrest.”

“What for?”

“The murders of Madarame and his associates! And the assisted suicide of Kitagawa!”

“Do you have proof of this?” R reached out to the table to pick up a coffee cup and take a sip.

“I know you were involved! Proof or not!”

“…Hmn, you know?” R took a sip of his drink, “Would you say that is an _instinctual_ knowledge of the truth?” R looked up at him over the edges of his glasses as he took another sip.

Goro lowered the contract and glared at him.

“Detective!” Once again A managed to slip into the room unnoticed. “I’m so glad you’re here! Sit down. I’ll pour you a cup.”

“I don’t want one,” Goro took his eyes off the older twin and glared down the second. But A only met his scowl with a flirtatious fluttering of his eyes lashes. “I want to talk about Gomen’s contract and the death of his son!”

“Oh, that contract?” A walked over and snatched the bottom of the paper to hold it between the two of them. “It’s null and void now.”

“What?”

“The fox has returned!” A flipped his end of the paper up carelessly. “There was a bit of trouble… She was supposed to be taken care of, her and her newborn kit. But we recently had to get her back- You see! We learned she was being mistreated and no longer in the proper care of Gomen’s family.”

“That’s where my brother was last night,” R set his cup down and stood up. “He was out getting everything ready to take the foxes back in for rehabilitation.”

“The foxes are here?” Goro asked.

“Yes.” They both answered.

“Show me.” Goro folded his arms. He watched as the twins looked at each other, only communicating via a few rolls of their eyes and glances away before nodding in agreement.

The two turned toward the door leading to the back of the shop and motioned for Goro to follow.

Beyond the door, Goro was surprised to see a long hallway, the blue coloration of the store continued along the walls and floor, but he noted several of the doors had different colors and designs to them.

“Please don’t bother any of the doors, those are our pets’ rooms.”

“The pets have individual rooms?” Goro glanced at the doors as they passed them.

“Of course they do! Where do you think we keep them, in cages?” A chuckled.

The two stopped in front of a simple door with a watercolor flower design painted around its edges. Once opened Goro felt a cold draft come out from the room.

“It’s a bit cold in there…”

“We have to keep the temperature down for them,” R explained. He stepped inside, Goro followed, and the younger twin entered last.

It was a small room, with several pillows and silk blankets laid out on the floor. In one corner Goro could see a white furry mass surrounded by pillows and sheets all pulled into a nest.

R stopped a foot away and motioned for Goro to stand next to him, “There she is. Sayuri and her pup, Yusuke.”

Goro glared at him as if the twin was mocking him. In the corner, the adult fox lifted her head and next to her a smaller one stuck his head out to stare at Goro. He had blue eyes, and his tail was bandaged with a red binding.

“…What happened to him…”

“The ones that stole him tried to remove his tail. Not to mention he’s severely malnourished. And has several old injuries from being physically abused.”

“But we’re going to nurse him back to health,” A clapped his hands together. “Once both are well, they'll be released back out into the wild.”

Goro looked down at the two foxes. They continued to stare at him, and Goro continued to wait. What he was waiting for he was unsure of.

Finally, he threw up his hands and sighed.

“I don’t know how you did it, but I know that these animals and you are connected to this. And as soon as I find out how, I’m taking you both in!” With that Goro huffed and turned on his heels. He stormed out of the room and A escorted him back to the front doors.  
  
  


Once they were alone, R sighed, “So why did you reveal yourself to him, Sayuri?”

“It was unintentional,” the fox sat up. “When he first appeared… I thought he smelled familiar. And in Kawanabe’s home, I recognized it as well.”

“Hm, so it’s not just me?”

“He doesn’t smell familiar to me,” the kit spoke up next. “It smells dangerous. Like _that man_.”

“I know. I noticed that too…” R turned back to the foxes and reached out to pet their heads. “Either way, it’s none of your concern now. Just rest up and prepare yourselves. My brother and I will keep an eye on our Detective and his next case.”


End file.
